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PORTREATH - the Branch and incline Roy Hart​The incline at Portreath was opened, with the rest of the branch, in 1837. It was powered by a cornish beam engine at the summit of the incline, which was known as the 'Lady Basset'. One wagon up and one down. This engine was replaced, towards the end of the 19th contury, by a smaller, rotary engine which lasted until the end. Photos of the engine building show that it resembled a conventional Cornish engine house -and this is why.The branch fell into disuse by 1930, but the GWR kept the engine in good order. The branch closed beyond North Pool siding in 1936 and all remained in situ until the invasion scare of 1940, when the track on the incline was swiftly removed and a concrete barrier (still there today) was erected at the base of the incline, presumably to prevent the Nazi hordes from invading Illogan.The rest of the branch was lifted in the early months of 1945. Interestingly, the locomotive which hauled the demolition trains was pannier tank 1799, immortalised for many years on the pub sign at the Railway Inn at Illogan Highway. This engine was shedded for many years at Carn Brea and spent most of its life in West Cornwall.

The pub sign for the inn located at the point where the Portreath branch crossed the 4' gauge tracks of the Camborne - Redruth Tramway.

The 'Railway Inn' public house at Illogan Highway fell on bad times a few years ago but has since reopened with a new sign as seen below. We wish the Landlord every success with the new venture.

The new Railway Inn' sign at Illogan Highway Level Crossing. 18th November 2017 Copyright Keith Jenkin It is a pity that the new sign did not show the level crossing over the road and street tramway. It could have included one of the colourful tramcars which once served the Camborne - Redruth tramway waiting by the gates. The sign is also inaccurate in that the Portreath branch never carried passengers.

Illogan Highway Level Crossing from the 1908 25 inch OS with Permission of National Library of Scotland. The Portreath branch line starts from nearby Portreath Junction, to the bottom of the map and continues towards Portreath Harbour at the top of the map. The 4 foot gauge tramway ran from Redruth, to the right to Camborne, to the left. Mineral trams ran from Wheal Agar mine to Tovaddon mine.

The map accompanying the feature on the pub sign at Illogan Highway shows some interesting features. Among them is Wheal Agar and its connection to the Camborne-Redruth tram system.At the time of the map (1908) Wheal Agar was on its last legs; it had seldom made much profit and before World War 1 it was amalgamated with East Pool mine. East Pool, in turn, suffered a catastrophic underground collapse in 1918 and had to suspend operations. They set to work on a new shaft (known as Taylors, after the mine captain) on a new site, near Wheal Agar , (whose engines survived, derelict until 1946). Taylor,s had no processing facilities, so they took over Agar's rights to use the tramway along the streets to the processing plant at Tolvaddon. Thus, although the streets of Pool no longer saw trams after 1927, there was the daily hazard of the mineral tram through the silent streets, accompanied by yells of 'tincar'.The tram tracks were gradually removed (apart from this section) but the tincar ran until 1935. East Pool and Agar Limited cast the acronym EPAL on their ingots (and in white brick, as everybody knows who passes the site today). In 1935 East Pool opened an aerial ropeway across country to Tolvaddon, which carried their ore until the mine closed in 1945. Taylors engine worked on to keep South Crofty dry, until 1954.The poles which carried the tramwires survived until the mid-1960s as lamp posts between Camborne and Redruth.

Roy Hart Many thanks Roy

Tram number 7 stands just beyond the tracks of the Portreath branch. In this posed picture you will that the tram which is heading for Redruth is about to enter a tramway passing loop on the far side of the railway crossing - this was the third passing point out from Redruth for the trams. The tramways passenger service ceased in 1927 although this crossing continued in railway use until 1936 as a sub of the Portreath line remained to serve North Pool siding which was north of here. There were other crossings where the standard gauge metals were crossed by the tramway - these were at the top of East Hill - the North Crofty branch and at Wesley Street Camborne where the Roskear branch crossed on its way towards Holmans Boiler Works. Picture from the Alan Harris Collection.

Almost forgotten - Portreath branch bridge - it lies of an footpath off Spar Lane. July 2016
Copyright Stewart Frazer

This is believed to be a location known as 'Lovely Cottage Crossing' where approximately midway along its length the branch crossed what is now known as Alexandra Road. Copyright The Alan Harris Collection

Portreath Incline. The Poldice Tramway passed along what is now Sunnyvale Road which lies along the tree line at the foot of the hill in the background. 3rd June 2010 Copyright Roger Winnen

140623d Nearing the foot of the incline at Portreath the line passed over Glenfeadon Terrace by means of this fine bridge. Copyright Roger Winnen

160321a Information on the Portreath Harbour showing its history over the years. Roger Winnen

Portreath 1954 4172 'Photos from the Fifties collection' Hugh_davies@btopenworld.com From the Alan Harris collection. N.B. The coal in this picture certainly wouldn't have come down the branch - it had closed long before. It must therefore have been unloaded from a ship by the crane. The trackwork shows some very tight curves, note the use of sub points. One can clearly be seen to the left of this picture.

160321b Possibly these sheds were storage facilities connected with the railway near the base of the incline. Copyright Roger Winnen

160321c Located a few feet away from these buildings lay old rail no doubt recovered from the harbour area. Copyright Roger Winnen

160321d During a visit to Portreath on 23rd June, 2014 these stone sleeper blocks were evident on the quayside, however on the 21st March, 2016 there were no trace of them, most probably they were covered over after repairs to the quayside following the winter storms of 2014. Copyright Roger Winnen

160321e Rails on the quay in 2014, possibly for a dockside crane. Copyright Roger Winnen

Portreath harbour track layout 1902 1905 Reproduced from a 25 inch map with permission from the National Library of Scotland. Note the tree turnplates on the incline two before the main road and one to serve the lines on the north east side of the harbour.

Portreath to Poldice Tramway

The Portreath Tramroad, or alternatively the Portreath Tramway was opened in 1815, providing a wagonway route from mines near Scorrier in Cornwall, England, to a port at Portreath, from where it could be transported to market by coastal shipping. It was later extended to serve the Poldice mine near St Day and became known as the Poldice Tramroad, or Poldice Tramway.It was a horse-drawn plateway, and was the first railway in the county of Cornwall, starting operation in 1809.As a technological pioneer, it soon became technically obsolescent, but continued in use until about 1865. Much of the route can be discerned today and parts of it can be walked or cycled.See Wikipedia for further detailshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portreath_Tramroad​

Portreath 1902 1905 Reproduced from a 25 inch map with permission from the National Library of Scotland. This map shows quite clearly how the Poldice Tramway approached the harbour. Coming down the valley close by but about 20' higher than the road the tramway leaving the restrictions of the narrow valley turned sharp right swinging to the NE before making a steady left hand bend before heading directly towards the harbour along a route which later became Sunnyvale Road.

Greenfield Gardens are located alongside Sunnyvale Road just to the east of a terrace of houses.

The formation of the plateway is clearly seen here, the 'L' shaped plates being pinned to granite setts.
27th October 2017. Copyright Keith Jenkin

The project is nicely finished off with this plaque commemorating the bi-centenary the tramway. Congratulations are due all round. 27th October 2017 Copyright Keith Jenkin

Portreath is about half a mile distant as the Poldice Tramway climbs gently away from the port - the trackbed now forming Sunnyvale Road. . 3rd June 2010 Copyright Roger Winnen

From the tramway we look down on the village of Bridge which lies at the foot of a hill down from Illogan - this road crosses a small stream before making a junction with the Redruth - Portreath road. 3rd June 2010 Copyright Roger Winnen

Alongside the tramway granite posts indicating the directions to Potreath and also to Devoran - the cycle trail continues south to join with the Redruth and Chacewater Railway. 3rd June 2010 Copyright Roger Winnen

Looking down on Bridge Garage from the Poldice Tramway which as can be seen is only about 20' above the road. This area have been severely flooded at times of heavy rain. 3rd June 2010 Copyright Roger Winnen

The Poldice Tramway seen here after leaving Bridge. Taken on the 3rd June 2010. Copyright Roger Winnen

The granite setts which formed the base for the plateway can be scene here at the commencement of a passing loop. 3rd June 2010 Copyright Roger Winnen.

The tramway continues along the north side of a valley and is shortly joined by a metalled road which forms the route to Porthtowan. Although this road is laid along the tramway the bends in the former tramway are too sharp for a modern road and as can be seen here the tramway course is off to the left - it rejoins the modern road after the bend. 3rd June 2010. Copyright Roger Winnen.

A distant view of Carn Brea from the tramway. 3rd June 2010. Copyright Roger Winnen

A milepost of the eleven mile coast to coast trail. 3rd June 2010. Copyright Roger Winnen

The plate reads :- One of a number passing loops serving the tramroad. Excavation and surfacing were carried out by local volunteers through an employment action scheme. Funding by the 'Countryside Commision', BT and 'Carnsew Quarries Ltd'. Photograph by Roger Winnen. 3rd June 2010.

About a third of a mile from Mawla a junction to the right takes a narrow lane, formerly the tramway, bounded by stone walls on an embankment across the valley to form the route on the south side. This is the only significant earth work on the tramway. 3rd June 2010 Copyright Roger Winnen

On this map - reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland the tramway can be seen as a road originating from the Portreath direction, left . It can them be followed across to the right passing the Hamlet of Mawla to exit at bottom right heading for Wheal Rose. In the cenre of the map close to the legend 'Old Quarry' the tramway can be seen crossing the valley on an embankment. It is probable that his quarry provided stone for the walls either side of the tram track and possibly for the bridge over a small stream which passes down the valley at this point.

Wheal Plenty marker post. Wheal Plenty, a name given in hope of 'plenty' of ore was not terribly successful - it produced 135 tons of 7% copper ore in 1838. 3rd June 2010. Copyright Roger Winnen

Wheal Peevor. 3rd June 2010. Copyright Roger Winnen

At Wheal Rose, the name of a small hamlet the tramway encounters 'Rodda's Creamery' - the works of which lie across the tramway the route of which as been completely obliterated. However an enterprising individual has established a collection of railwayana which has nothing to do with the tramway but nevertheless makes an interesting feature.

Beyond Rodda's the route of the tramway can be picked up once more where it threads its way through a caravan sales outlet to pass under the Great Western Main line at the site of Scorrier station.

This view is taken from the 'Fox and Hounds' end of the passage under the GW main line - a class 150 conveniently passes by.

Eric RabJohns addressing the Party at Scorrier prior to passing under the main line. 18th April 2015 Copyright Roger Winnen

Although we are, for the purpose of this website covering the tramway from Portreath to Poldice on the occasion of this CRS walk we traced the route from Poldice though to the Scorrier area. The party heads through the skew arch of the bridge erected in 1852 to carry the West Cornwall Railway, now the GW, over the tramway. The lighter steel bridge alongside the brick arch carried the platform of Scorrier station. 18th April 2015. Copyright Roger Winnen.

In the background the GW main line crosses the road on a low bridge. A granite sett laid bare by traffic over the tramac shows the alignment of the tramway from right towards Poldice and left towards Portreath. 18th April 2015 Copyright Roger Winnen

A wagon, fitted with seats and known as the directors wagon long outlived the plateway and was housed in this s building at the rear of the Fox & Hounds at Scorrier. It was subsequently moved to the Holmans Museum and Camborne and then from there to Truro Museum where it now resides. 18th April 2015 Copyright Roger Winnen See the tale of the Poldice Tramway below.

​ A TALE OF THE POLDICE TRAMWAY Roy Hart

In the 1950s my late father (Leonard Hart) was curator of the Holman Museum at Camborne. The museum was the brainchild of the late Treve Holman, Managing Director of Holman Bros.Treve Holman devised the plan to buy and re-erect the Cornish beam winding engine from Rostowrack china clay works and re-erect it running under compressed air, at Camborne. Holman’s plan was to have the beam and wheel exposed over the outside street, but the Council vetoed it, fearing road crashes from distracted drivers! Dad and the team rebuilt the engine though, but inside, in 1953.In about 1957, a wagon (sometimes called the ‘directors’ wagon, because it had seats) from the Poldice to Portreath tramway was discovered in a barn at Scorrier and Treve Holman gave it a home in the Holman Museum. It had to be mounted on track, so Dad and a colleague (and me) were dispatched in a Holman van with picks and shovels to Mawla, to dig up sufficient granite setts to make a stretch of genuine tramway in the original style. There is no closing date for the Poldice to Portreath tramway, but we know from newspapers and other sources that it was abandoned and unused by about 1866. The granite setts on which the ‘plates’ were laid are still visible in many places today.Holmans’ foundry made the appropriate ‘L’ shaped rails (‘plate’, I suppose, is the proper term = platelayers) and the wagon stood resplendent in the museum until it closed in the 1970s. The wagon (and ‘our’ track) now reposes at Truro museum.The Holman museum was a sad loss: the Rostowrack engine seems to have been lost, too.

Roy Hart October 2017

The directors wagon - fitted with seats is now on display in the Royal Cornwall Museum. The driver sat on the elevated seat at the front. How it was turned at the terminus is a bit of mystery, presumably just manhandled one presumes! One notes that there is no evidence of the granite setts and iron rails on which it stood while at Holmans Museum at Camborne.

A rear view of the directors wagon - it shows signs of once having been painted green. Royal Cornwall Museum Truro.

The directors wagon, a view from above. Note the longitudinal wooden seats and the rear entry door.

Royal Cornwall Museum formerly theHenderson School of Mines. This is where the Directors Wagon is kept. 3rd November 2017 Copyright Keith Jenkin

A plaque at Scorrier. 18th April 2015 Copyright Roger Winnen

Beyond the Fox and Hounds the tramway crosses the main Redruth, Chacewater, Truro road and then accompanies the B3298 road for about half a mile during which time it descends crossing and recrossing the road three times - the final crossing being at Zimapan. From here the route climbs passing Unity Wood towards Little Beside and the terminus at Crofthandy.

The Poldice tramway, shown as a blue line. came up from Portreath passing around the back (west) side of the hamlet of Wheal Rose.
Past here its route is lost due the Creamery Building. It can be picked up again where it passed beneath the main line and headed off past the back of the Fox and Hounds - the tramway continued on towards the terminus at Crofthandy, however - it is last seen on this map at Little Beside. A branch of the tramway headed off due west passing Wheal Chance and terminating by the main line.

The CRS party is seen climbing towards Scorrier - the B3298 is to our right. 18th April 2015 Copyright Roger Winnen.

Seen from the tramway which is alongside the B3298 a cart track descends to pass under a bridge which carries a Scorrier estate road.
18th April 2015 Copyright Roger Winnen.

The tramway at 'Little Beside' with obvious pointwork in the foreground. The tramway heads off left towards Zimapan. Unity Wood will be to the right of the tramway which follows the shallow valley towards Zimapan. The tall and very elegant chimney in the background is that of Killifreth mine. This view dated 1972 is by Roger Winnen. Copyright.

For old times sake we also include this view of Donald Stephens and Roy Sambourne both long departed. November 1972 Copyright Roger Winnnen

An abundance of granite sets at this point along the trackbed. Copyright Roger Winnen

Poldice Coal Yard - we were kindly given permission to enter by the owners. 18th April 2015. copyright Roger Winnen

A plaque erected at the site of the weighbridge and coal yard of the Poldice Tramway. Copyright Roger Winnen

All set to go as Eric Rabjohns sets the scene at Crofthandy. Copyright Roger Winnen

On the 18th April the Cornwall Railway Society were treated to a guided walk over the upper section of the Poldice to Portreath tramway. Eric Rabjohns was our very able guide. Some members came fromTruro, their bus is seen arriving, the other half of the party came from Redruth, also on a number 47 bus. Copyright Roger Winnen.